Vinnie and Mandy walked down the streets of Florence with Leo.
As they walked, Mandy thought there must be something special about the boy.
Everyone seemed to like him.
Vinnie said, "Mandy, look up!"
Mandy lifted her head.
People were looking down at them from open windows and balconies.
"Why is everyone staring at us?" Vinnie asked.
Leo laughed. "They're not staring at you.
They're just enjoying the view from their balconies."
"Enjoying the view of the street?" asked Mandy.
"Yes! Watching people is fun! Look!"
Leo opened his notebook.
The pages were filled with extraordinary pictures of people and animals.
"Leo! You're amazing!" Mandy gasped.
"No wonder your teacher says you're gifted!" exclaimed Vinnie.
Leo shrugged and closed his notebook.
"Tell us about the Medici family," asked Mandy.
"They are the most powerful family in Florence," said Leo.
"What do they want you to do?" asked Vinnie.
"All artists need supporters.
Powerful families such as the Medici hire artists.
Master Verrocchio's workshop does a lot of work for them," said Leo.
"We make furniture and portraits of their family.
We even make their kitchen utensils."
Leo stopped in front of a large estate.
"Here we are!" he said.
Leo led them through a gate and into a courtyard with a lovely garden.
"My lord Lorenzo is expecting you, sir," said a servant by the door.
He took them inside the palace and into a large courtyard.
"Whoa!" Vinnie said loudly.
"It looks like a museum!"
The stone walls were decorated with carvings.
"The family must really love art," remarked Mandy.
"Leo!" called a young man about seventeen years old.
He came toward them and smiled.
He wore a shirt with puffy sleeves and a high lace collar.
"Welcome," he said. "Please have a seat."
"These are my friends,"
Leo said, introducing Vinnie and Mandy.
A servant brought in some cakes.
"I am a great admirer of you, Leo," said Lorenzo.
"You and I have a lot in common."
"In what way, my lord?" asked Leo.
"We're both young," began Lorenzo.
"We're both intelligent.
And we both love art."
Leo nodded, but remained quiet.
"One day, I will make Florence the most beautiful city in the world," Lorenzo said confidently.
"And I believe you and I can do that together."
"Florence is already magnificent," replied Leo.
"I agree. But I intend to make it more so." Lorenzo laughed.
"Then people will say, 'He is Lorenzo, the one who made Florence magnificent!'"
Mandy choked on her cake.
Finally she realized who this man was.
"He's Lorenzo the Magnificent!" she wanted to scream.
She was eating cake with the future ruler of Florence, Italy!